Light reflecting sign



May 5, 1942. J. A. MOREHEAD LIGHT REFLECTING SIGN Filed Nov. 8, 1940ZNVENTOR.

I .721/755 A- WEE/154D f v f A 7702M? K5 of light are so diffused thatPatented May 5, 1942 LIGHT REFLECTIN G SIGN. James A. Morehead,Huntington, W. Va., assignor to Sinclair Glass Company, corporation ofWest Virginia Ceredo, W. Va., 3.

Application November 8, 1940, Serial No. 364,765

2 Claims.

This invention relates to signs and more specifically to improvements inglass signs provided with raised indicia on the forward face and aplurality of light reflecting elements on the rear face thereof.

In the type of signs employed heretofore, to indicate the address of ahouse or the name of a person residing therein, a source of artificiallight has been disposed within or in back of the sign for illuminatingthe characters formed on the forward face thereof. With this type ofsign it is essential that there be a continuous ray of light which notonly is expensive but entails the replacement of burnt out light bulbs.

Furthermore, in signs having raised characters molded on one face withreflecting elements on the opposed face thereof, the raised charactersor indici'a have been so formed as to present a blurred or hazyappearance when illuminated by a ray of light. This is especially truewhen an angular beam of light is directed upon a sign having a number ofraised characters thereon, in that the reflected rays the sign may notbe legible. The indiscernibleness of the sign results from the mergingor flowing together of the oblique rays of light emanating from thedifferent characters, thus a clear and concise outline of the sign isnot obtainable.

The present invention is directed to a glass sign or plate havingintegrally formed on one face thereof raised characters or indicia whichare provided with inclined sides that merge with the base of the sign.The inclined sides and base of the sign are covered with a substancethat is impervious to rays of light, while the top surface of the raisedindici'a is free to transmit rays of light directed thereupon. Theopposed face of the sign has a recessed portion formed therein, that iscomplemental to the base of the raised indicia, and which is preferablypebbled with a plurality of closely nested light reflecting surfaces.Thus, any ray of light directed toward the sign of the present inventionwill be reflected through the top surface of the raised indicia in sucha manner as to present a clear outline of the indicia.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a lighttransmitting sign having raised indicia on the forward face thereof withan opaque coating covering all of the forward face except the outlinedtop of the indicia, while the rear face of the sign is pebbled with aplurality of light reflecting surfaces for reflecting 55 rays of lightback through the top of said indicia.

Another object of, the invention is to provide a light reflectingstructure embodying a pebbled surface on one side thereof and a raisedindicia on the opposed side with an opaque coating covering the lastnamed side and terminating at the edge of the raised indicia forreducing the net area of the outline of the in- To dicia whileincreasing the area of reflecting surface.

Another object of the invention is to provide a light reflectingstructure comprising a plurality of plates having nonreflecting beveledside edges thereon with raised indicia formed on the forward facethereof, said nonreflecting beveled edgesadapted to overlap edges onadjacent plates and for absorbing any and all rays of light directedthereupon.

Another object of the invention is to provide a light reflectingstructure that is especially adapted for illumination from the side asthat in which the structure is observed and which is neat in appearance,economic of man-- ufacture and easily assembled.

'- trated:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the sign embodied in the present inventionshowing a plurality of plates each having nonreflecting beveled edgesthereon; a

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of the sign showingthe raisedindicia on the forward face with a light reflecting, pebbled recessedportion on the rear .face thereof, the section being taken on a planeindicated by line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan View of the rear face of one of the plates of the signdisclosed in Fig. 1, showing the recess therein with a portion there offormed with light reflecting surfaces; and

Fig. 4 is a modification of one of the signs disclosed in Fig. 1,showing a metallic covering or mask extending over the forward face ofthe sign.

. As illustrated in Fig. 1, the Sign embodiesa plurality of separaterectangular glass plates Ill having parallel beveled side edges l lwhich are adapted to engage complemental surfaces provided on theadjacent plate or plates. A suit able holder, not shown, formed withchannel shaped top and bottom edges is preferably employed for theassembling of the plates I with the beveled edges ll of adjacent platesoverlapping one another. In certain instances it may be desirable toarrange the plates l0 within a vertical holder in which case the top andbottom edges of the plates may be beveled with the beveled top edge ofone plate overlapping the beveled bottom edge of the adjacent plate.

The glass plates [0 have formed on one face thereof contemporaneous themolding thereof a raised character or indicia I2 which is provided witha flat top surface 13. The raised, indicia I2 are provided with inclinedsides M, Fig. 2, which merge with the surface l3 and the forward face ofthe glass plate Ill, so that the net area of the top surface of theraised indicia is. materially reduced as compared with the area of thebase of the indicia. Formed in the rear face l5 of each glass plate Inthere is a recessed portion [6 which is of complemental configuration tothe base of the raised indicia l2. The recessed portion I6 is preferablypebbled with a plurality of closely nested light reflecting surfaces l8which are formed thereon contemporaneous the molding of the glass plate[0 and the raised indicia l2.

As shown in Fig. 2 the inclined sides M of the raised indicia, theforward and rear face-s and beveled edges ll of the glass plate III arecovered with a coating 11 which is impervious to rays of light. Thecoating I! may be any opaque substance, such, as a paint, enamel, blackjapan or lacquer. The rear face [5 of the glass plate may be coveredwith the opaque coating l1, however, the coating of the forward face isdeemed sufficient to prevent the penetration of light rays through theglass plate. The coating of the glass signs may be performed in a numberof different ways. It will be observed that by whatever means the wholeupper surface is covered, the outline of the raised indicia will beclearly formed by simply wiping the paint or the like from the topsurface thereof prior to the drying or baking of the coated plates.

In the use of the light reflecting sign a plurality of the coated glassplates Ill is secured in a suitable holder or frame with contiguousbeveled edges ll disposed in intimate engagement as shown in Fig. 2.Inasmuch as the forward face of the plates H3, with the exception of thetop surface 13, is impervious to light, the only portion of a beam oflight susceptible of being transmitted through the glass plate will bedirected through the top surface 13 of the raised indicia whereupon itwill strike the reflecting surfaces l8. Upon striking the reflectingsurfaces IS the rays of light will be reflected back through the topsurface I3 of the raised indicia, thus the only light visible to the eyeof the observer will emanate from said surface.

As disclosed herein for the purpose of illustration, the reflectingsurfaces iii are of hemispherical shape. However, it will be readilyapparent that the recessed portion l6 may have formed therein lightreflecting surfaces of any suitable configuration, such as spherical,ellipsoidal or of the type disclosed in Patent No. 1,123,969 to Roy R.Wiley.

The coating of the inclined sides M of the raised indicia with an opaquesubstance limits the area of diffusion of the reflected rays to the areaof the top surface 13 of the raised character or indicia. Thus, theindicia formed on the glass plates will be presented in a clear andconcise outline, in that, the coated inclined sides will prevent thesign from having a blurred or hazy appearance which might otherwiseresult from the flowing together of oblique reflected rays from adjacentindicia. However, if an oblique ray of light is directed upon the sign,a portion of the light will pass under the inclined surface of theraised indicia on the side thereof opposite to that from which the lightis directed. By providing the recessed portion IE of the rear face ofthe plate with a pebbled surface equivalent to the base of the indiciaand preferably of a greater area than the top surface thereof, theoblique rays of light flowing through the top surface It will strike thesurfaces l8 and be reflected back through the top surface l3 and thuspresent the indicia in clear outline. This is due to the inclined sidesI4 which increase the net area of the reflecting surface 18 whilelimiting the net area of the top surface of the indicia, thus materiallyaiding the reflecting qualities of the sign for outlining the raisedcharacters or indicia on the plates 10.

By coating the beveled edges 1 l with an opaque substance the rays oflight directed upon the sign are prevented from flowing between adjacentplates thereof, thus the opacity of the sign is maintained in all areaswith the exception of the top surface l3 and the reflecting qualities ofthe sign are not impaired.

The beveling of the edges of the plates l0 greatly facilitates theirbeing assembled within a frame or holder, and the overlapping of theedges of adjacent plates provides for a true and snug fit therebetween.Furthermore, the plates Ill are so formed that a sign may be so arrangedthat the plates will be disposed back to back, thus rendering the signlegible from either side Without the light reflecting qualities of anyof the plates being impaired.

In the modified form shown in Fig. 4, the glass sign or plate I!) has ametallic covering or mask 20 enveloping the forward face and beveledside edges II thereof. The outline of the raised indicia I2 ispreferably cut or stamped into the metallic covering in any suitablemanner and the top and bottom edges of the covering are preferablyflanged or formed with tangs there'- on for attachment to the glass signor plate Hi. In the cutting or stamping of the metallic covering 20, toproduce the outline of the indicia I2 therein, upwardly extendingflanges 22 are formed thereon which are adapted to engage the inclinedsides M of the raised indicia. The flanges 22 terminate at the edge ofthe top surface 13 of the indicia so that the net area of the topsurface thereof is materially reduced as compared with the area of thebase of the indicia. It will be readily apparent that the metalliccovering or mask 20 may extend over the rear face I5 of the glass plateIll, however, the covering of the forward face is deemed sufiicient toprevent the penetration of light rays.

In assembling the modified form of the glass sign or plate In themetallic covering or mask 20 has the outline of the indicia formedtherein preferably by a cutting or stamping operation. Subsequent thecutting operation the covering 20 is shaped, in any suitable manner suchas by a punch press operation, to form the beveled side edges andflanges 22, while the top and bottom edges thereof are flanged orprovided with tangs. The glass plate I0 is then disposed under themetallic covering 20 with the upwardly extending flanges 22 engaging theinclined sides M of the raised indicia l2. Thus with the metalliccovering or mask 20 disposed on the glass plate It) a protective shieldis provided therefor and the possibility of the plate being broken ordamaged is materially reduced. The upwardly extending flanges 22 willprevent oblique reflected rays of light from flowing from the sign sothat all reflected rays will be directed through the top surface of theraised indicia and thus present the glass sign in a clear and conciseoutline.

Although the foregoing description is necessarily of a detailedcharacter, in order that the invention may be completely set forth, itis to be understood that the specific terminology is not intended to berestrictive or confining, and that various rearrangements of parts andmodifications of detail may be resorted to without departing from thescope or spirit of the invention as herein claimed.

Iclaim:

1. A light reflector structure embodying a plate of transparentmaterial, raised indicia formed on the forward face of said plate,inclined sides provided on said indicia, the rear face of said platehaving a recessed portion therein complemental to the base of the raisedindicia, a plurality of closely nested light reflecting surfaces formedon said plate in the recessed portion, an opaque coating covering theforward face of said plate and terminating at the top of said inclinedsides, said light reflecting surfaces disposed under the inclined sidesadapted to reflect oblique rays of light transmitted through the topsurface of said indicia to increase the area of refleeting surface withrespect to the net area of the top surface of the indicia.

2. A sign, embodying a plate of transparent material, beveled edgesprovided thereon, raised indicia formed on the forward face of saidplate, the rear face of said plate having a recessed portion thereincomplemental to the base of the raised indicia, a plurality ofcontiguously related light reflecting projections formed on said platewithin the recessed portion, an opaque coating covering the bevelededges and forward face of said plate and terminating at the edge of thetop surface of the raised indicia, a second plate of transparentmaterial having raised indicia formed on the forward face thereof, oneof said beveled edges adapted to engage a complemental surface formed onsaid second sheet to restrain rays of light from passing therebetween.

JAMES A. MOREHEAD.

